By Barbara A. Preston and Caprice Benifield-Sanchez for The Montgomery News | April 10, 2026
Route 206 motorists will notice a 22-acre plot of uprooted trees and mulch piles in the Harlingen section of Montgomery Township, across from Allegra School and Krauser's. Workers from The Firewood Farm were on site this week clearing the land to make way for sewer pipes and other infrastructure needed before building can begin on a 54-unit development project the planning board approved in January 2024.
Scott and Todd Van Cleef of Country Classics are the developers. Their projects also include The Somerset at Montgomery.
Doing business as Harlingen Associates LLC, the Van Cleef brothers have also built Harrison Square in Frenchtown and 745 Hamilton in Somerset.
The Van Cleef's Country Classics at Harlingen project will consist of "36 three-bedroom townhomes with driveways and two-car garages, plus three two-story affordable housing apartment buildings with 18 residential units, for a total of 54 residential units and associated parking,"according to the Environmental Impact Statement prepared by EcolSciences, Inc.
The van Cleefs had previously proposed to call their latest Montgomery project by the name "Harlingen Village Square." However, according to a condition in the final Montgomery Township resolution approving the project, "the word Harlingen shall not be used in the name of the project.”
Documents filed with the township municipal offices refer to the property as "Country Classics at Harlingen."
The project also includes sidewalks, sitting areas, a play area, bike storage, a dog park, and an enclosed trash receptacle area.
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Members of the township had expressed their dismay about the name of the property at the November 13, 2023 Planning Board meeting. Elizabeth Palius of Montgomery Township said, “The name absolutely should be changed because Harlingen is very special. It is one of four historic registered districts in the municipality. It is only that little village and it is certainly not this project.”
Jessie Havens of Montgomery Township said, “I know that the developer has every right to name it anything he wants. But, as he is quite well aware, it is a very unpopular thing that he is putting here, and it would help ease the unhappiness of the community if he could possibly find it in his heart to oblige us and give it a different name.”
The name Harlingen also appears in the name of the Township’s Van Harlingen Historical Society, founded in 1965 to help preserve the heritage of the Montgomery Township area and to interpret the area’s history through educational programs, publications and exhibits.
Scott Van Cleef said that the name “Harlingen” will not be used in deference to concerns raised by the Township Landmarks Commission. Van Cleef said that the new name of “Harlingen Village Square” is to be determined as his team is still discussing potential names.
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Part of the property is on freshwater wetlands; thus, the planning board added a condition that Van Cleef “will comply with any restrictions on tree clearing that are imposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or NJDEP in connection with protection of endangered species.”
Richard Schatzman, the attorney representing the applicant at the Jan. 8 meeting, said, “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service doesn’t give a permit. What they do is they advise the Department of Environmental Protection.” Thomas Auffenorde, a professional water specialist and environmental scientist representing the applicant, said, “The majority of the property is not ranked as habitat for threatened or endangered species.”
However, Auffenorde said that the corner of the property and along the eastern edge of Fox Brooke is mapped as a rank-five habitat for federally listed species. “In this case, it’s a couple of bat species, Northern long-eared bat and Indiana bat,” he said. “The bats are the real issue here.” Auffenorde said, “It’s also mapped as a foraging habitat for bald eagle, which is a state-endangered species.” He said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would place a timing restriction for clearing trees on the project if they have reason to believe a project could impact the bats.
Another condition, according to the resolution, “The applicant shall execute and record a deed restriction with respect to affordability of the affordable housing units in accordance with township municipal ordinances, subject to review and approval by the township attorney.”
According to the site plan review, the residential development is a part of the township’s court-approved affordable housing plan and is deed-restricted for occupancy by low-and moderate-income households.
